Overall crime decreased 4.7 percent in Como in 2017, according to preliminary data available from Saint Paul Police.

Police received 757 reports of crimes in District 10 in 2017. That is lower than the 794 crimes reported in 2016, and the 774 crimes reported in 2015. Those three years are the only complete years available in the database. (To see charts illustrating crime trends in Como from 2015-2017, open or download the PDF in the right column.)

Thefts and burglaries decrease
– but there are red flags
The decrease was driven, in part, by a sharp drop in motor vehicle thefts. Auto thefts dropped from 90 in 2016 to 59 in 2017. That drop offset slight increases in auto break-ins (150 in 2017 compared with 140 in 2016) and other types of theft (211 in 2017 compared with 198 in 2016).

Burglaries also decreased (89 in 2017 compared with 107 in 2016). However, the number of burglaries in which there was no forced entry increased: 39 in 2017 compared with 24 in 2016. That suggests residents continue to create opportunities for burglars by leaving doors and windows unlocked.

In another major crime against property, vandalism was down – from 120 in 2016 to 92 in 2017, which is similar to the 95 cases in 2015.

Violent crime: Low but growing
Though the overall number of violent crimes remains low in Como, some categories continue to increase. Once again, there were no homicides. But there were 17 robberies in 2017, compared with 14 in 2016 and 12 in 2015. There were 5 rapes, compared with 1 in 2016 and 0 in 2015.

There were 37 assaults in 2017, which is the same number as in 2016 and down from the 45 reported in 2015. Of the reported assaults, 31 were domestic assaults; 6 were “stranger” assaults.

Gunshots keep rising citywide
Como was not immune to the citywide increase in gunshots – known as “weapons discharge” in official terminology. There were 43 verified cases in Como in 2017, up from 37 in 2016 and 26 in 2015. Citywide, gunshots increased from 816 in 2015 to 1145 in 2016 and to 1181 in 2017.

In 2017, there were 50 narcotics arrests in Como, which is higher than the 47 in 2016 but lower than the 64 in 2015.

It depends where you live
Police divide neighborhoods into “grids,” which roughly are eight-square-block areas. Based on these grids, levels of crime held steady in most parts Como. (To see charts illustrating overall District 10 crime trends by grid, open or download the PDF in the right column.) Some examples:

The grid between Snelling, Hamline, Arlington and Como reported 56 crimes in 2015, 57 crimes in 2016, and 58 crimes in 2017.

The grid between Lexington, Victoria, Arlington and Como reported 47 crimes in 2015, 43 crimes in 2016, and 45 crimes in 2017.

Generally speaking, grids south of Como Ave. see about twice as much crime as a typical grid elsewhere in the neighborhood. But even within this area, there are no clear trends:

The grid between Snelling, Hamline, Como and Energy Park Drive saw an increase from 90 reported crimes in 2016 to 112 crimes in 2017.

Meanwhile, the grid between Victoria, Dale, Maryland and Front also had 112 reported crimes in 2017 – but that’s a decrease from 156 the year before.

The grid between Lexington, Victoria, Como and Front saw a decrease from 52 reported crimes in 2016 to 36 in 2017 – but that’s roughly the same level of crime as in 2015.

Meanwhile, the grid between Hamline, Lexington, Como and Front saw a slight decrease – from 111 crimes in 2016 to 105 in 2017 – but that’s still significantly higher than the 78 crimes reported in 2015.

The grid that covers most of Como Park – including the Zoo, Conservatory and their parking lots – saw an increase in crime from 39 in 2016 to 47 in 2017. But those figures are roughly half the crime level of 2015.

The crime statistics are based on preliminary information available from the city’s Crime Incident Report database. Police typically produce a more thorough report for the previous year in July.